Report by STUART DYE

STUDENTS will suffer a huge loss if plans to close Vale Royal Magistrates' Court go ahead.

Over the last five years scores of school pupils have learned about how courts work - thanks to a special project run from the Northwich courthouse.

But this valuable scheme will be lost if the court is closed.

Under the scheme pupils learn about a magistrate's job, spend a morning in court, visit the cells and finish by role-playing a court case in school.

Magistrate Michael Melville is the former co-ordinator of the Magistrates Association Community Project.

He said: "It's very good to put the students in the position of magistrate, defendant, solicitor or witness rather than simply watching proceedings.

"The whole programme is a great experience for them.

"If the Northwich courts are closed the magistrates involved, about 16 in total, will not be able to get together to organise this programme.

"A lot of schools have benefited from the programme including Sir John Deane's, St Nicholas High and Woodford Lodge. It would be a huge loss for students if the programme is forced to end."

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